Military sites Iran's redline: Senior official

Tehran, Sep 6, IRNA – The US is going to violate the nuclear deal, but the world is against it, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader said on Wednesday, affirming that access to Iran's military sites is not permissible.

'We are informed that the US officials have coducted frequent visits to the international nuclear watchdog, and talks have been held with the chief of the body,' Head of Strategic Research Center at the Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said in a press conference, in an apparent reference to the recent visit by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and her talks with Yukiya Amano.

'Nobody is allowed to visit Iran's military sites,' he added.

'Iran's military sites have to do with the country's national security,' he said, repeating the country's stance on the US attempts to seek access to the sites.

Haley on Tuesday repeatedly claimed that 'hundreds' of sites in Iran are suspicious, but the UN has no access to them.

**Iran supports Iraq's integrity

Asked about the issue of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region referendum, Velayati said that Iran as a country that has strategic ties with Iraq, supports the integrity of that country and all countries in the region, as the Iraqi government itself is opposed to the referendum.

Any referendum in the Region will hurt Iraq's integrity and is regarded as a prelude to the country's disintegration, he said.

**No problem in Iran-Saudi ties

Velayati, also the Supreme Leader's advisor for international affairs also said that Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed on Hajj issue and remain committed to the agreement, while the two are dispatching delegations to deal with the issue of the closure of the embassies.

Following the death of hundreds of Iranian pilgrims in Mina during Hajj rituals in 2015, and rising tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2016, the two countries closed their embassies in each others' capital cities. However, thanks to talks between the Iranian and Saudi officials, tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims are performing the rituals this year.

There is no problem in bilateral ties, and on the regional issues, we advise Riyadh not to meddle in countries of the region, the advisor added.

**Irrational killing of Myanmarian Muslims

Expressing sadness on the recent incidents in Myanmar, the Iranian official said that the most irrational thing is killing and expulsion of Muslims in Myanmar, as the country is slaughtering the people, ignoring the global public opinion.

Tens of thousands of members of the Muslim minority in Myanmar, called Rohingyas, have fled their homes and cities following an extensive military crackdown.

**The US has no influence in the region

Referring to anti-Iran remarks by the US ambassador, he said that the US has no influence in the region, as they are trying to violate the JCPOA, but the world is standing against it.

Velayati also pointed to the recent continuous achievements by the Iraqi and Syrian forces and anticipated that more victories and advances are coming in the near future in recapturing areas from the terrorist group Daesh (ISIS) in the two countries.

In recent days, Syrian troops have broken the two-year siege on the eastern town of Deir ez-Zor by the terrorists.